1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates to surgical clamps for organ manipulation, more particularly my invention relates to non-traumatic laparoscopic bowel clamps which encircle the bowel.
2. Background Information
During many surgical procedures it is necessary to mobilize and move the bowel. This is particularly true during resection of the bowel. During open surgical procedures, the surgeon can accomplish the movement of the bowel manually without significant risk of damaging the bowel. However, during laparoscopic surgical procedures, manual movement of the bowel is no longer possible. In order to achieve movement of the bowel during laparoscopic procedures, various bowel engaging clamps have been developed. One such clamp is known as the Babcock clamp, which fits through the trocar and grips directly onto the bowel. The surgeon will utilize the clamp for moving the bowel appropriately during operative procedures.
The existing bowel clamps are designed to clamp directly on the bowel. The direct clamping or pinching engagement with the bowel wall results in a significant number of drawbacks. The engagement of the clamp on the bowel can puncture the bowel wall. Additionally, the movement of the bowel by using the engaged clamp can tear the bowel. This is due, in part, to the minimal surface engagement between the clamp and the bowel wall.
When the bowel wall is compromised, whether by the bowel engaging clamp or otherwise, numerous complications can arise. First, the contamination of the interior body cavity with the dirty contents of the bowel interior can increase the risk of infection and other adverse affects. Furthermore, once a puncture or tear has occurred, the surgeon has to take appropriate remedial measures. These remedial measures may include further resection of the bowel to include the bowel segment which has been damaged, or separately stitching or otherwise closing the puncture or tear in the bowel to repair the damage caused by the clamp. Either of these remedial measures increases the time of the surgery. Additionally, both of these remedial measures increase the risk of infection and the like to the patient by exposing the contents in the interior of the bowel to the interior of the body cavity. Therefore, this damage to the bowel needs to be avoided.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bowel clamp which can be easily used in laparoscopic or open procedures for engaging and moving the bowel while significantly reducing the risk of damaging the bowel.
The above objects are achieved by a bowel clamp according to my invention. A bowel clamp according to my invention is designed to not clamp directly onto the bowel, but instead is designed to substantially encircle the bowel. In operation, the bowel clamp of my invention can be inserted through a small opening in the mesentery of the bowel so that when the bowel clamp is closed, the bowel will rest completely inside the jaw face of the bowel clamp. The bowel clamp of my invention evenly distributes the forces associated with movement or mobilization of the bowel across the bowel wall to minimize damage of the bowel wall. In this manner when the bowel is moved by the bowel clamp in any direction, the bowel will not be damaged, perforated or torn.
The bowel clamp of my invention may be designed to compress or slightly crimp the bowel while encircling the bowel in order to better reinforce the bowel wall to further minimize potential damage and increase mobility of the bowel while using the bowel clamp of the present invention.
The bowel clamp of my invention may include a jaw formed of a first jaw member pivotally connected to a second jaw member at a pivot point at one end of the jaw members. Each jaw member may includes a jaw tip at a distal end thereof. The jaw tips are adapted to abut against each other when the jaw members are in a closed position. When the jaw members are in the closed position, the jaw members combine to define a bowel encircling opening between the jaw members, the pivot and the tips.
In one embodiment, the bowel clamp includes cross-pivoted handles attached to each jaw member on opposite sides of the pivot. Additionally, one jaw member may form a cradle for receiving the bowel prior to closing. The bowel clamp of the present invention is preferably closable to 10-12 mm for easy use in laparoscopic procedures.
In another embodiment of my invention, the entire jaw of the bowel clamp is pivotable about a pivot point. The entire jaw may also be rotatable about the jaw pivot point. The articulation and rotation of the entire jaw provides the mobility needed for manipulating the clamped bowel. Preferably the articulation and rotation of the jaw as well as the closing of the individual jaw members can be controlled remotely through a trocar.
In one embodiment of my invention the jaw of the bowel clamp is a flexible member, such as a tube or strap, extending from the handle. The handle may also include a clasping member to secure the flexible member to the handle after the flexible member has formed a loop around the bowel.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the Description of the Preferred Embodiments taken together with the attached figures wherein like reference numerals represent like elements throughout.